Ten Tracks Today – 24th December 2011

A quiet reflective track this one. Isham’s use of electric guitar with the orchestra (as well as electronic percussion) melds well here. Not a particularly notable track but a pleasant enough piece to start off with.

02 – “When It All Started” – The Christmas Tango – Jannos Eolou

The score seems based around a rather notable melody that gets a good airing in this track from the woodwinds. A repetitive string-based element and an accordion/harmonium add a bit of colour to the cue.

03 – “There Is Only One War (Opening Title)” – Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Doyle W. Donehoo

There is what appears to be a generous nod to Jerry Goldsmith’s score for Alien to begin this track – on the scale of Tyler Bates’ “homage” from Elliot Goldenthal’s Titus for 300 – before the track goes off to some original scoring. Typical percussion and choir add menace to the orchestral score to give us, on balance, an interesting track.

04 – “You Tricked Me!” – La Ligne Droite – Patrick Doyle

This score is one of the highlights of 2011. Piano and strings (and good sound) combine in this track to provide a track of good clarity of melody. It’s a short track but it is memorable because of the simplicity of melody.

Inspired by the written word, Mikhail’s score in this track features solo piano. Forceful playing adds drama to a melodic line that has an insistence about it that reflects a sense of fleeing and escape.

06 – “The Masquerade Ball” – The Sims: Medieval – John Debney

Ye Olde music for this piece, what sounds like a piece of source music. Orchestrated for harpsichord, recorder and various percussion as well as violins/fiddles it’s a jaunty piece fit for a royal court.

07 – “Launch An Attack On 1941” – Isoroku – Taro Iwashiro

A biographical film centred on Isoroku Yamamoto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet at the time of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, this orchestral score features some dramatic music for the beginning of the assault on the US. The music is very much in the Western style, with little hint of the Eastern origins.

08 – “Rise of A Paladin” – Dawn of The Dragonslayer – Panu Aaltio

Strings swell in a heroic statement, brass adds a bit of drama and voices combine to create what sounds like typical fantasy fayre. It’s very much restrained in places so that the cue doesn’t overwhelm the listener with noise (ala today’s Hollywood blockbuster). The track only occasionally betrays its (possible) synthetic origins. Aaltio usually delivers above average scores and again delivers here

09 – “Goodbye (It’s A Little Awkward)” – Paul – David Arnold

In amongst the grandiose farewell orchestral swells usually associated with emotional goodbyes, Arnold mixes in some quieter and more delicate sequences for the truly emotional parts. But it is the soaring orchestral climax wins out in the end – with added choir.

10 – “Game of Thrones (Main Title)” – Game of Thrones – Ramin Djawadi

An immediately memorable theme for this TV show. The thematic motif and the use of percussion combine to create one of the better TV themes of the year. Probably the highlight of the score as a whole.